Alan Lebow

Lebow, Alan, a longtime Palm Beach resident and the third generation of a family of clothiers, died suddenly at home February 23rd. Born March 31, 1927 in Baltimore, he was the third son of Joseph and Marie (Propp) Lebow. His grandfather founded Lebow Clothes, a leading menswear manufacturing firm, in 1870. Mr. Lebow was a graduate of the Park School in Maryland. He attended the Hun School and graduated from the Pennsylvania Military Academy, now Widener University. He earned an advanced degree at the Philadelphia College of Textiles. In 1945, Mr. Lebow was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Germany. After his honorable discharge from the Army, he entered the family clothing business, where he spent his business career. Mr. Lebow moved to Florida and became active in the Miami Shores community. He was living in Miami in 1977 when he met Patricia Levey on the tennis court at the Cricket Club. The couple married a year later. In 1983, they moved to Palm Beach, where Mr. Lebow remained active in business. He was also an avid Class A tennis player, a golfer, and became known for his poetry recitations. Mr. Lebow was a trivia buff who had a lifelong love of learning and was especially knowledgeable in the fields of art and literature. He founded "The Breakfast Club" at Cucina, where the morning meal with friends became a daily ritual. "Nobody was more brilliant or more humble," said Al Marulli, Mr. Lebow's friend of 20 years. "He defined the term 'Renaissance man.' He was a great guy." Jim Bertles, who knew Mr. Lebow for more than 15 years, called him a gentleman of the old school. "He was a fabulously well-read, wonderfully intelligent guy," Bertles said. "He was so interesting to talk to because he had such extensive knowledge. There was always that spark in his eye." With his wife, Mr. Lebow was active in charity, particularly the Palm Beach Zoo. He was also a supporter of the Kravis Center, where he was a founder; the Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Miami; the Israel Tennis Centers; and the University of Richmond, where he endowed the Lebow Family Scholarship. Mr. Lebow was a co-founder and officer of Kids Dreams, Inc., a charity for at-risk children, and personally underwrote all of its expenses. He was a former board member of City National Bank of Miami and a member of Club Colette, the Mar-a-Lago Club, the Breakers and the Palm Beach Yacht Club. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughter Amanda, of New York and Palm Beach; his nephew Mark Lebow, his niece Joy Lebow Cohen; grandnieces, Alexandra Lebow and Lauren Cohen; and grandnephews, Michael and Jeffrey Lebow. Funeral services will take place at 1:00 pm on Friday, February 27, 2009 at Temple Emanu-El of Palm Beach, 190 North County Road, Palm Beach, FL 33480. The family will sit Shiva after the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Kids' Dreams, P.O Box 3947, WPB 33402; or a charity of choice. Arrangements by Quattlebaum Funeral Home, 561-832-5171